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Acts 28:1-16

Paul on the Island of Malta

28After we had reached safety, we then learned that the island was called Malta.
2The natives showed us unusual kindness. Since it had begun to rain and was cold, they kindled a fire and welcomed all of us round it.
3Paul had gathered a bundle of brushwood and was putting it on the fire, when a viper, driven out by the heat, fastened itself on his hand.
4When the natives saw the creature hanging from his hand, they said to one another, This man must be a murderer; though he has escaped from the sea, justice has not allowed him to live.
5He, however, shook off the creature into the fire and suffered no harm.
6They were expecting him to swell up or drop dead, but after they had waited a long time and saw that nothing unusual had happened to him, they changed their minds and began to say that he was a god.

7 Now in the neighbourhood of that place were lands belonging to the leading man of the island, named Publius, who received us and entertained us hospitably for three days.
8It so happened that the father of Publius lay sick in bed with fever and dysentery. Paul visited him and cured him by praying and putting his hands on him.
9After this happened, the rest of the people on the island who had diseases also came and were cured.
10They bestowed many honours on us, and when we were about to sail, they put on board all the provisions we needed.

Paul Arrives at Rome

11 Three months later we set sail on a ship that had wintered at the island, an Alexandrian ship with the Twin Brothers as its figurehead.
12We put in at Syracuse and stayed there for three days;
13then we weighed anchor and came to Rhegium. After one day there a south wind sprang up, and on the second day we came to Puteoli.
14There we found believers* and were invited to stay with them for seven days. And so we came to Rome.
15The believers* from there, when they heard of us, came as far as the Forum of Appius and Three Taverns to meet us. On seeing them, Paul thanked God and took courage.

16 When we came into Rome, Paul was allowed to live by himself, with the soldier who was guarding him.